Hinge construction



April 3, 1951 H. w. WHITMORE HINGE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1947 INVENTOR.

HARLAND W.WHITMORE ,avmimmwm ATTORNEYS Ap ,1951 H. w. WHITMORE 2,547,550

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4. A2 H69 JNVENTOR. HARLAND W.WHITM ORE BY 7. mm A a/m4 HSM ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 3, 195i.

UNI'I'EYD STATES PATENT OFFICE HINGE GONSTRUGTI ON Harland W, Whitmore, Kenosl a, Wis, ,assignor to Motor Brfldiicts Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of New York ApplicationSepte'mbcr 29, 194 7, Serial No; 776,748 4 Claims, (01. 16-489) The invention relates to hinges more particularly designed for use in the connection of a lid or cover to a cabinet. Oneparticular use of such construction is for attachment of a refrigerator lid.

It is one of the objects of my invention to obtain a construction of hinge which will hold the load in substantially balanced condition in different positions of adjustment.

At the same time, it is an object to. obtain a construction which requires little effort on the part of the operator to move the load.

Still further it is an object to obtain a sturdy construction which can be manufactured at relatively low cost. With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction as herein? after set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the hinge detached;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the'hinge detached; Fig. 3 is a sectionshowing the hinge as attached to a cabinet and cover and in extreme open position of the latter, also showing in dotted lines an intermediate position of the cover;

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the member of the hinge for attachment to the lid;

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the member for attachment to the cabinet;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66, Fig. 1; and

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal section on line l'-l, Fig. 1.

My improved hinge comprises two main members A and B, respectively, for attachment to a cabinet and the cover or lid therefor.

of substantially U-shaped form including an attachment plate and parallel flanges projecting outward therefrom at opposite sides thereof. The member A has the flanges A and A in the form of centrally apertured ears projecting outward from one end portion of the attachment plate A The periphery of each of these ears has segmental portions A concentric with the central aperture A and also a projecting lug A between the segments. The attachment plate is cut-away centrally ,at A and has a struck-out finger A at the center. The plate A is also embossed forming bearing portions A and is provided with slotted apertures A for engagement of the securing bolts or screws. The member B has the parallel flanges B and B each of which projects longitudinally beyond the securing plate B to form substantially circular, centrally apertured ears B for axial alignment with the aper- Each of these members is formed of pressed sheet metal tured ears of the companion member A. The flanges 33 and-B embrace the flanges A and A so as to lie in frictional contact therewith. C is a tubular abutment member extending between the flanges A and A and coaxial with the aper tures therethrough. D is a coil spring sleeved about the tubular member C. At the center of this spring is a loop D for anchoring engage ment with the finger A and on opposite sides of this loop are helical portions D D which exte d to adj cent t e f a e andA2 a terminate in axially extending portions D The portions 13* extend over the peripheral s m A? and engage notches B in the ears B, which latter are of greater radius than the segments A E a bolt which extends through the apertures in the ears B and A and the tubular member'C. One end of this belt has a head E, while the other end portion is threaded to en age a clamping nut E A Washer E is sleeved on the bolt adjacent to the ear B and a lock washer E liesbetweenthe Washer E and the nut E Inthe assembly of the parts above described the-loop- D is angularly displaced from the end portionsyD so as'to hold the plates A? and B in transverse relation to each other. The plate A is attached to the rear face of the cabinet F and the plate 1'13 to the rear face of the lid or cover G. The amount of relative angular movement of the members A and B is, however, lim ited by the lugs A which engage stops B on the ears B These stops are preferably formed from separate members spot welded to said ears. Thus the coil spring will be under some tension when the lugs engage said stops. When, however, the cover G is swung down to close the cabinet, the spring D will be further wound up thereby providing increased tension to counterbalance the increased load. Thus the spring substantially counterbalances the load of the lid at each position of adjustment thereof. However, as the balance of the spring against the counteracting load is not exact, provision is made for frictionally holding the hinge from movement in its various positions of adjustment. This is accomplished by tightening or loosening the nut E so as to impart just the required degree of friction to hold the hinge without greatly increasing the efiort required for adjustment. In other words, the lid may be easily lifted to any degree desired and will stay in this position until it is desired to further open or close it.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A hinge comprising a pair of pressed sheet metal members each having a pair of parallel apertured ears projecting out of opposite sides thereof, the ears of one member embracing those of the other, a pin extending through the apertures in said ears to form a pivotal connection therebetween, a tube surrounding said pin and abutting against the ears of the inner pair, means cooperating with said pin to obtain a predetermined clamping and friction between said pairs of ears, and a coil spring sleeved on said tube having spaced portions anchored to the respective members.

2. A hinge comprising a pair of pressed sheet metal members each havinga pair of parallel apertured ears projecting out of opposite sides thereof, the ears of one member embracing those of the other, a pin extending through the apertures in said ears to form a pivotal connection therebetween, said pin having a head at one end thereof, a tube surrounding said pin and abutting against the ears of the inner pair, means longitudinally adjustable on the opposite end portion of said pin to obtain a predetermined friction between said pairs of ears, and a coil spring on said tube having a central return bend loop and oppositely wound helical portions on opposite sides of said loop the ends of said portions being anchored to the ears of the outer pair and a finger projecting from the member having the inner pair of ears engaging said loop to anchor the same. i

3. A hinge comprising a pair of pressed sheet metal members each having a pair of parallel apertured ears projecting out from the opposite sides thereof, the ears of one member embracing those of the other and extending beyond the periphery of the latter, a pin extending through the apertures in said ears to form a pivotal connection therebetween, said pin having a head at one end thereof and a threaded portion adjacent to the opposite end, a tube on said pin abutting against the ears of the inner pair, a nut adjustable on the threaded portion of said pin to obtain a predetermined friction between said pairs of ears, a coil spring sleeved on said tube having a central return bend loop and oppositely wound helical portions on opposite sides of said loop, the ends of said portions extending over the periphery of the inner ears and having anchoring engagement with the outer ears, and a finger projecting from the member having the inner pair of ears engaging said loop to anchor the same.

4. A hinge comprising a pair of pressed sheet metal members each having a pair of parallel apertured ears projecting out from the opposite sides thereof, the ears of one member embracing those of the other and extending beyond the periphery of the latter, a pin extending through the apertures in said ears to form a pivotal connection therebetween, said pin having a head at one end thereof and a threaded portion adjacent to the opposite end, a tube on said pin abutting against theears of the inner pair, a nut adjustable on the threaded portion of said pin to obtain a predetermined friction between said pairs of ears, a coil spring sleeved on said tube having a central return bend loop and oppositely Wound helical portions on opposite sides of said loop, the ends of said portions extending over the periphery of the inner ears and having anchoring engagement with the outer ears, a finger projecting from the member having the inner pair of ears engaging said loop to anchor the same, a lug projecting radially from an inner ear, and a stop on the corresponding outer ear for limiting the movement thereof under torque of said spring.

HARLAND W. WHITMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 252,164 Williams Jan. 10, 1882 283,128 Masters Aug. 14, 1883 1,131,664 Bommer Mar. 16, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 563,466 France Sept. 16, 1923 

